Differential appliance.



1.1.6; W. L SPAIN. DIFFEREN TIAL APPLIANCE. APPLICATION MEDIUM-117.1916.

Patented Aug. 7, 1917;

'2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

VWITNESSES I 2 SHE HEET 2.

l. 1,61 W; L. SPAIN.

DIFFERENTIAL APPLIANCE. APPLICATION FILED JUNE I? 1915. V

Patented .7, 1917. I

WITNESSES INVENTQRSQ I v Altorneys UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN JOSEPH SPAIN AND WALTER LEO SPAIN, 0F WINNIPEG, MANITOBA, CANADA,ASSIGNORS OF ONE-THIRD TO JOHN A. KNOTT, OF WINNLPEG, MANITOBA, CANADA.

DIFFERENTIAL APPLIANCE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 7, 1917.

Application filed June 17, 1916. Serial No. 104,851.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that we, JOHN Josarn SPAIN and WALTER LnoSrAIN, both of thecity of Winnipeg", in the Province of Man1toba, Canada, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Differential Appllances, of whichthe following is the speclfication.

The invention relates to improvements in differential appliancesespecially deslgned for use in the propulsion of motor vehicles butadapted for other purposes and it consists essentially in thearrangement and construction of parts hereinafter described and laterpointed out in the appended cla ms.

The objects of the invention are to provide simple and efiicientmeans-in connection with a divided axle for driving the axlesectionspositively at the same rate of speed and allowing neithersection to overrun or turn at a higher rate of speed than the drivingmember; to allow each axle section to re engage with its driving memberwhen the speed -thereof falls to that at which its companion member isbeing driven; to allow both axle sections to disengage themselves fromthe driving power when coasting and reengage when they have ceased torun faster than .the driving member; to allow either or both of the axlesections tobe turned freely in one direction when the wheels carriedthereby are 011' the ground.

The above principal and other minor objects are attained by .themechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1represents a plan view. of the operating parts, the containing casingbeing shown in horizontal section.

Fig. 2 represents a'longitudinalsectional view through the casing andoperating parts, the axlesections being shown in plan view.

Fig. 3 represents an enlarged detail vertical sectional view through theinner end of one of the axle sections and also through the pair ofsprings associated withthe axle.

Fig. 4 represents an enlarged detail side view of one of the shiftableratchet wheels. .Fig. 5 is a face view of the ratchet wheel shown inFig. 4. r

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail side view of one of the shiftable engagingcollars.

Fig. 7 is a face view of the collar shownin Fig. 0.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail side view of the collar shown in Fig. 6 butturned a quarter turn. I

Fig. 9 is an enlarged detail vertical -sec= tional view through one ofthe base blocks secured to the casing, the arm carried thereby beingshown in side elevation.

' Fig. 10 is an end view of one of the housing parts. i

In the drawings like characters-of refer ence indicate the correspondingparts of the several figures.

The axle which is adapted to carry the traction wheels indicated at 1and 2 is of the divided type and consists of the sections 3' andfldisposed inaxial alinement and journaledin suitable bearings 5 providedinthe tubular axle case 6. I The meeting or adjacent ends of the axlesections are preferably squared as indicated at 3 and 4', these squaredends being utilized for a purpose later described.

The casing 7 inclosing the driving mech- 'anism is somewhat globular inform and into the casing the squared ends of the axle sec tions extend.

' disposed in an opposite direction to the teeth 11', that is to say theengaging faces of the teeth of one set stand in a direction opposite tothat of the teeth in the other set.

While the sets of teeth in each ratchet wheel face in oppositedirections, the teeth of the corresponding ratchets in both ratchetwheels face in the same direction; that is to say, the teeth 11 in eachratchet wheel which are the teeth from which the forward drive iseffected, have their engaging faces standing in the same direction whilethe teeth 10 which are the reversingteeth have their en- On the squaredends of the axle sectionsgaging faces standing in the same direction.

The ratchet wheels are held pressed apart by the action. of a pair ofcoiled springs 12 and 13 interposed between the inner faces of thewheels and ,disposed on the inner ends of the axle sections.

tit).

The ratchet wheels are inclosed within a two-piece housing comprisingsimilar right and left parts 1+ and 15 supplied with meeting flanges 16and 17 which are fastened together by the bolts 18. lhe housing partshave their outer ends rotatably mounted on the shaft sections amlcontained within the bearings and they have the. body portions thereoffashioned to form sleeves 1+ and which receive. the hubs ot' the.ratchet wheel and also to provide side walls 1+ and lfi disposedinnnetliately opposite the outer sets of ratchet teeth in each instance.

The inuer ends of the sleeves 14- and 15 are projected within thehousing and are Constructed to provide sets of ratchet teeth 19 and 20one to each. which ratchet teeth are disposed immediately opposite thesets of ratchet teeth 11 with which latter teeth they mate.

()n the sleeves l4 and 15 l mount slil lin-g collars 21 and :22 whichcollars are each litted with a plurality of similar equal-lengthconcentrically arranged dogs '23 which dogs normally enter receivingopenings 2% formed in the walls H and 15" ot' the housing and have theirinner ends disposed directly opposite the outer ratchet teeth 1 withwhich they are adapted to ei-lgage.

In the carrying out of the invention itis nect-issary in the et'lcetingof the reverse drive of either one or the other of the axle sections toshift these collars inwardly to engage the dogs with the outer sets ofratchet teeth of the ratchet wheels.

\Ve accomplish thisan the present instance by the parts now described,

Each of the/collars is supplied with a spiral tlange or rib indicated at25 and ('i the ribs in the present: instance being approximately oneturn. The ribs are engaged in each instance by controlling arms 27 and28. the controlling arms having their inner extremities l airingnormally on the inner faces of the ribs and their outer extremitiespivotally mounted in base blocks 2!! am] 10 permanently secured to thecasing].

spiral spring Ill and a Hat spring operate on the inner extremity ofeach ol' the controlling arms to press them normally against. the innerl'ace ol' the rib. The lower ends. that is to say the pivoted ends ol'the' armsare, constructtal so that the tree ends of the arms cannotswing in either direction farther than a predetermined amount. the innerlimitation of the swing being restricted'to the position shown in Fig,'1 ot' the drawings, while. the outcr limit of the swing lH'bllOWll lllFig. 9 of the drawings. -'Jllt"l(i,lHUl l for this will he appare -ithereinal'tcr. f

To the llangesol' the housing]we' securc the drivin member on theappliance which consists ol a hollow beveled gear 33.

l\lc shing with the gear 5 1 is a beveled pili- In the forward drivingof the shaft and in an instance such as where a motor vehicle istraveling straight along the road. the pinion 34 rotates the bevel gear33 in a direction such-that the housing is turned in the directionimlicated by the arrow applied thereon in Fig. 1. ln turning'thehousing. it carries with it the ratchet wheels owing to the fact thatthe ratchet teeth 1%) and 20 are engaged with the sets ot ratchet teethll. the engagements being assured by the action of the springs 12 and13. The ratchet wheels in turning carry with them the axle sections withthe result that thewheels 1 and L are both driven positively forward.

Obviously in the forward driving of the housing-the collars 31 and '2'.willbe rotated on the sleeves l4 and 13' with the result that the spiralribs will be turned. 'lhe ribs however. are spiral in such adirectioirthat the controlling arms simpl \:-pla v freely on the innersides of the,ribs and'etl'ect no movement of the collars.

ln't'he backing up of the vehicle. the driving shaft 35 produces arotation ot the housing in a direction opposite to that shown by theapplied arrow in l ig. l which et'l'ects the .slibliingl' hast ol' theratchet teeth 1" and Qt)- on the sets olratchcttwth ll. (,oincident withthis action it producesthc reverserotalion ol the lars. these beingcarried by the housing sections and as they turn they cause thecontrolling arms to pass to their outer limiting position which isattheoutersidcsot the spiral ribs. (onscqucntly ill the continued turningot' the housing and collars the controlling arms compel the collars tomove inwardly by operating on the outer l'aces ot the ribs. the movementbeing such that the dogs are primarilyengaged with the sets of teeth Itand a l'terward push in. the ratchet wheels to entirely clear the setsof teeth 11 from the teeth 19 and .20. Immediately the dogs engage withthe series of thetccth i the. ratchet wheels are rotated to rotatetheaxle sections in the re verse ;dirt a-tion.

In rounding a curve the slow or inner wheel will be theonc driven whilethe outer --tions, of a housin l to the speed of its companion part,both the ratchet teeth 19 and 20 will. be driving the :txle sections.

It will be noted that when one wheel is running ahead of its drivingpower the other is carrying the load so that one wheel is beingpositively driven at all times, and further that should the insidewheel, which normally carries the load when rounding a curve, slip orlose traction sufficiently to cause it to spin or revolve at a rate ofspeed faster than the outside wheel, the. load will be instantly shiftedto the outside wheel which may have a firm traction grip on the roadthereby preventing thevehicle losing traction, in any circumstance.

Attention is also called to the fact that when coasting, that is to saywhen either wheel is running ahead of the driving gear both of theratchets 11 are free to slip past the slower moving ratchets 19 and 20.

It is .also to be'noted that should the wheels be entirely raised fromthe ground, as occurs when repairing the tires, the said wheels can beindependently turned around in the forward direction as in this case theratchet teeth 11 will turn with the rotated shaft section past theratchet teeth of the sleeve.

What we claim as our invention is 1. In a differential appliance thecombi nation with a dividech axle formed from alin'ed axle sections, adrive shaft and a casing receiving the drive shaft and axle secrotatablymounted on the meeting ends 0 the axle sections, a positive drivingconnection between the housing and the drive shaft, a pair of right andleft Wheelsslidably mounted on the inner ends of the axle sections butrotatable with the same and contained within the housing, spring meansinterposed between the whee s and normally maintaining their outer facesressed against the side walls of the housmg, sets of normally engagedratchet teeth formed on the engaging faces of the wheels and thehousing, said ratchet teeth being adapted to effect the forward drivingof the wheels with the housing and to ermit of the escaping past of theteeth in t e reverse rotation of the housing, outer sets of ratchetteeth on the wheels and arranged in the opposite direction to the formersets of teeth on said wheels, shiftable means carried. by

the housing and engageable with the outer sets of ratchet teeth, andmeans for elfectin'g, in the reverse turning of the housing, the

shifting of the latter means to effect its engagement with the outerratchet teeth and thesimultaneous disengagement of the inner setsofratchet teeth.

i 2. In a differential appliance tho combination with a divided axleformed from alined axle sectionsfa drive shaft and a casing receivingtthe jdrive shaft and axle sections, of

the forward driving of the wheels with the housing and to permit of theescaping past of the teeth in the reverse rotation of the housing, outersets of ratchet teethon the wheels and arranged in the oppositedirection to the former sets of teeth on said wheels, shiftahle meansmounted on the housing and engagcable through the walls thereof with theouter sets of ratchet teeth and means for operating in the reverserotationof the housing, the shiftable means to engage the same with theouter sets of ratchet teeth and simultaneously disengage the inner setsof ratchet teeth.

3. In a. differential appliance the combination with a' divided axleformed from alined axle sections, a drive shaft and a casing receivingthe drive shaft and axle sections, of a housing rotatably mounted on ythe meeting ends of the axle sections, a posi tive driving connectionbetween the housing and the drive shaft, a pair of right and leftwhcelsslidably mounted on the inner ends of the axle sections butrotatable with the same and contained within the housing, spring meansinterposed between the wheels and normally maintaining their outer facespressed against the side walls of the housing, sets of normally engagedratchct teeth formed on the engaging faces of the wheels and thehousing, said ratchet teeth being adapted to effect the forward drivingof the wheels with the hoiising'and to permit of the escaping past ofthe teeth in the reverse rotation of the housing, outer sets of ratchetteeth on the whcels and arranged in the opposite direction to the formersets of teeth on said wheels, collars slidably mounted on the housingand provided with extending concentrically arranged dogs projectingnormally through the walls of the housing and disposed directlyopposite-the outer sets of ratchet teeth and means con trolling thecollars to effect the engagement of the dogs with the outer sets ofratchet teeth. in the driving of the housing in the reverse direction i4. in a dill'crential applii'ince the combination with a divided axleformed from alincd axle sections. a drive. shaft and a casing receivingthe drive shaft and axle sections, of a housing rotatably mounted on.formed on the engaging faces of the wheels and the housing, saidratchet teeth being adapted to efi'ect the. forward driving of theWheels with the housing and to permit of the escaping past of the teethin the reverse rotation. of the housing, outer sets of ratchet teeth onthe wheels and arranged in the opposite direction to the former sets ofteeth. on said wheels, collars 'slidahl mounted on the housing andprov'idml with extending dogs normal! entering the housing and disposeddlrectl) opposite the outer sets of ratchet teeth a spiral .rih formedon each of the collars, and spring controlling arms carried by thecasing and operatii'lg on the ribs and adapted, in the reverse rotationof the housing, to effect thc inward thrusting oi the collars and theen-- gageinvnt of the dogs with the outer sets of ratchet teeth and thesimultaneous disengagement of the inner sets of ratchet teeth.

Signed at Winnipeg, this .l iih day of

